My friend Muriel is in her 80’s, her husband Michael in his 90’s. Michael’s been ill and in hospital. Muriel, meanwhile, needs all the help she can get. She spends almost every day at the hospital, returning home exhausted.

What could I do? Well, I’d considered giving her a roast chicken too, but then I started to worry – what if I’d over-seasoned it? Worse, if Muriel got sick anytime in the next 10 years, I’ll know it was my chicken that did it.

Then Muriel called to say Michael’s health was improving. I was so happy, I offered both roast chicken and butternut squash soup. My soup – pureed butternut squash, made with apples and onions – always turns out well. I said so.

“I’d be glad for the soup, Cynthia. Thank you, dear.”

Thank God. Thank Muriel.

So today I brought soup for Muriel. Then for Jane and Allen.

I’d planned to leave it at Jane’s door, run away, then phone to say, “Check your front door!” But she opened the door just as I was about to do so, thanked me, and said they’d be glad to have my soup.

Hooray! I’ve finally become one of those women who bring food for their friends.

How sad that nobody wanted your roast chicken after all the trouble you went to. That’s the trouble with a blog, your reputation goes before you. And I bet it was delicious. You can’ t really go wrong with roast chicken unless you don’ t cook it long enough and give people salmonella. I suppose you might worry a bit about that if you already have pneumonia.

Sometimes, self-deprecating humour is well-placed. Especially when it comes to my cooking! I do have a few dishes that I make very well, but I have no intelligence as a cook, and even less confidence these days. Still, I keep trying.

One should never turn down home cooked food. I love squash soup but have never made it. Your husband must have liked it if he had it more than once. You are probably a great cook and so kind to share with your friends. You have not lost your sense of humor!

I do make your chick pea, sweet potato and onion dinners on occasion. I did modify it a bit, and it also contains kale or beet greens now for additional flavor and color as well as nutrition. That was a great recipe!

Hi:
Uncle Eddie from LONDON. ENGLAND. Read your excellent report on that POOR Defenceles Chicken!!
Do what I do, Always leave the FEATHERS ON when Baking Chicken, then when you offer it to your friends they can say “WHAT A LOVELY BIRD THIS IS” Then they will know they must add their seasoning, and you will not have to worry if you did season it too much, or not at all. This Salmon Yella. [Yellow salmon]..Is it some sort of seasoning you put in the Chicken? ????????????????. Ha, ha
Love to all
Ed

MY DEAR CYNTHIA
YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE SIZE OF ENGLISH CHICKENS, THEY ARE LIKE “SMALL OSTRICHES”, WELL LARGE OSTRICHES.
FIRST, YOU PUT THE OVEN IN THE CHICKEN, SO YOU COOK THE CHICKEN “INSIDE OUT” THEN YOU PUT THE CHICKEN INTO THE OVEN,” OUTSIDE IN” THEN YOU PUT THE CUT-UP ONION, GARLIC, SKELLION, PEMENTO THYME, [ SOMETIME IF YOU ARE IN A HURRY, JUST PUT YOUR WATCH, OR A CLOCK IN THE CHICKEN, SAVES TIME,ha, ha., bloody foreigners cant take a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
AND AS YOU KNOW THAT WHEN ONION GETS INTO YOUR EYES, YOU START TO CRY LIKE HELL. SO MY DEARS, CAN YOU KNOW HOW THAT CHICKEN FEELS, WHEN YOU ARE PUSHING ALL THOSE THINGS YOU CALL SEASONING UP ITS.========= WHERE DO YOU PUSH UP ALL THOSE THINGS INTO THE CHICKENS??????????????
IT MUST BE PAINFUL FOR THE “POOR THING” JUST THINKING ABOUT IT, MAKES WATER COMES TO MY EYES. THIS CHICKEN THING, CAN YOU PLEASE COOK LAMB OR SOMETHING, AS THIS COULD GO ON FOR A LONG TIME AND YOU KNOW YOUR UNCLE EDDIE, MOTOR MOUTH, ACTUALLY MOTOR FINGERS, HE NEVER STOPS.
BLESS

Naughty person you — I had no idea you were so fond of chickens. I am indeed a bloody foreigner to you Brit, but I get the joke! And I promise — I shall have to cook lamb or something before you start crying again…. meantime, I leave you to your ostriches.

Oh, How I can relate. I have changed all our eating habits the past year. This means I am learning to cook ALL over again. I cook for healthy living. Everyone knows now so all my food is an experiment:-) They stop by and I am always saying, “taste this” tell me what you think???? they are always polite and say, well, add this or “yuck” or that is good. I get a lot more “yuck” or “well, it needs more this” than I do ” I love it”. I do on occasion after many months of trial and error, am learning.My husband finally now eats my veggie rolls ( kale, celery, chicken and tempay and other veggies) after about 8 yrs. LOL. he likes them now. It took him being concerned for his health and now he likes more of what I cook:-),
I have yet to make sweets taste good that have no sugar! I leave that to my friends. I bring nuts or something they recognize!

My neighbours – back in more affluent times – gave us meals endlessly. Typical Andalucían food, ie bean slop (once they’d discovered we were veg), and we liked it. Who wouldn’t? We offered them curry once. Oh. No. The palate in our pueblo is very bland, and hot spicy Indian did not do it.

They give us calabaja (?) anyway it’s squash. So, not a fan of it. I find it tasteless and textureless. Adelina used to do a nice sauté but it was actually quite spicy, cumin and chilli I think. I could never replicate it, and as I don’t buy/grow squash, it wasn’t important. I prefer courgette. Courgette soup is good 🙂

I have a friend who thinks she can cook. On one occasion, she waltzed off into the bathroom with her boyfriend, and airily said: ‘sort the hollandaise, I know you can do it’. When she got married, it was always a relief when her husband was cooking if we went for dinner.

I can’t imagine not being a proficient cook so I feel for you. But … I have never roasted a chicken in my life, nor have I cooked roast beef, nor Yorkshire pudding. 🙂 so, you have the edge on me with the chicken.

Thank heavens that all of my friends are so much better cooks than me that I never have to offer. And they all have well-stocked freezers. 🙂 What a kind soul you are! Wishing you much joy this festive season. (and roast pork for your husband 🙂 )

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